Working
by 1ce-in-4ever12
Summary: It's the summer before The Sorcerer's Stone. Luna Lovegood is now an orphan and Neville Longbottom is without family. What happens when the Weasley family adopts them? What happens when Arthur can no longer support his family financially? The kids get jobs of course. Join The Silver Trio (aka Neville, Luna, and Ginny) as they struggle through Hogwarts and later, war.


**Working**

A/N I had posted this story before but was not happy with it. I have decided to start over. I'm looking for a Beta Reader so if anyone is interested please PM me.  
J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter. I own nothing.

Chapter 1

Luna

"Daddy, I'm back! Where are you?" said a ten-year-old Luna Lovegood. Luna opened the front door to her castle-like house with her bucket of Pimplies. Luna skipped over the threshold to behold a sight that would haunt her for the rest of her life. The kitchen looked like an explosion had taken place. Charred pieces of cutlery and pots were strewn all over the floor, the small table knocked over, and torn copies of the Quibbler were scattered everywhere. Luna was suddenly reminded of another, horrifyingly similar scene. Except this time it was her Daddy lying on the floor unmoving.

"DADDY!" Luna shrieked, dropping her bucket of Pimplies.

The young girl started hyperventilating and stumbled backwards. What should she do? Last time her Daddy had been there but now… The Burrow! That was the closest house from the Lovegood's and at least one person was always there.

Roughly two minutes later an out of breath and sobbing blonde haired girl arrived at the Weasley's house. Knocking frantically at on the wooden door Luna wondered if her assumptions were correct or if she should have run to the Diggory's.

"Luna Lovegood?" asked a confused red-haired boy. Percy most likely, judging by the horn-rimmed glasses on his face. Luna didn't have time to look into it though, because her friend Ginny and the youngest Weasley boy, Ron, came thundering down the stairs. Luna couldn't seem get enough air to form a response so Percy immediately called for his mom.

"Luna dear, what's wrong?" asked a red-headed, plump woman.

"D-daddy! He- he's…" Luna tried to form a response.

"Arthur! Something's happened to Xenophilius!" the Weasley matriarch shouted towards the direction of the kitchen.

Arthur Weasley came running with his wand drawn followed by the two eldest Weasley boys. One look at the sobbing girl on the their doorstep and the thee men started running towards the Lovegood's oddly shaped house. The twins (who had been practicing Quidditch) flew down towards the small crowd at the door.

"What's wrong Luna?" asked Mrs. Weasley after Luna had gotten her breath back.

"I- I was out picking P-Pimplies and I went inside and- and there- he…" Mrs. Weasley pulled the sobbing girl into her arms.

"Shh, shhh, it's alright dear," Mrs. Weasley whispered, "take your time, take your time."

Luna let herself be held as she sobbed. Why did this happen? Why her? Slowly Luna calmed down and told the remaining Weasleys what she had happened. Talking about it felt surreal, like another tale her Daddy had told her about the brave centaur and the evil wizard. The six Weasleys were also in tears by the end of her story. No, Luna reminded herself, this is not a story. It's reality.

* * *

By the time the Aurors had been notified and the other Weasleys had come back to the Burrow, Mrs. Weasley was making lunch and the kids were sitting in the living room, uncharacteristically silent.

"Luna, your father is dead. I'm so sorry," a solemn Arthur Weasley told Luna.

At these words a part of Luna died, the part that had coveted a small amount of hope. She had hoped that somehow her daddy could be saved because after all, magic was supposed to do miracles. She should have learned by now that magic can only get you so far.

"Do you have any relatives Luna?" asked Mr. Weasley, breaking Luna's train of thought.

She shook her head. What would happen to her now? Will she have to go to an orphanage?

"It's alright dear, you can stay with us for as long as you would like." Mrs. Weasley told her.

Luna started to say no, she didn't want to be selfish. But one quick glance at the Weasley family told her that they wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

"Mr. Weasley? Do you know what h-happened?" Luna asked quietly. It hurt to think about it but she needed to know. As silly as her father was Luna knew that her daddy's death wasn't an accident. Ever since her mother's death Xenophilius had quit experimenting and stuck to the magazine business.

"It looks like he was attacked," the eldest Weasley boy said "The Aurors are investigating. We're sorry Luna."

Luna processed the information. Attacked? Who would want to attack her father? She couldn't think straight. It was too much. Her dad was gone and she had no one.

"Why don't you turn in now dear. You can share Ginny's room," Mrs. Weasley said sadly.

Luna just looked up and nodded absentmindedly. She hardly noticed when Ginny took her hand and led her upstairs to the first landing. Somehow she ended up in a comfy bed. Luna was exhausted and immediately fell asleep.

* * *

Luna woke up to sunlight hitting her face. Groggily, she sat up and slowly took in her surroundings. She saw a small, messy bedroom with light pink walls. This wasn't her room, what was she doing here? A soft snore was heard to and it was only when Luna saw Ginny's sleeping figure on the floor that it all came back to her. Her daddy, the Weasleys, all of it. And it was then that Luna Lovegood broke into gut-wrenching sobs.

Luna felt arms envelope her. She turned and rested her head on Ginny's shoulder as she sobbed. She felt Ginny gently rub her back. After a while Luna stopped sobbing and just let herself be comforted by her friend. Ginny slowly laid them down against the head board of the bed and pulled the blankets around them.

"Shhh, go back to sleep Luna," Ginny told her. Luna realized how exhausted she was and fell back to sleep in Ginny's arms.

* * *

When Luna woke up again she was lying on her side curled up against Ginny, who was reading a book. When Ginny saw that Luna was awake she put down her book and reached down to the foot of the bed to grab a tray of food.

"Mom brought it up awhile ago. I thought you could use some sleep," Said Ginny.

Luna nodded and just grabbed a cup of hot chocolate. She saw Ginny shoot her a worried glance. Luna loved eggs and bacon, she would never pass up an opportunity to eat some. Especially Mrs. Weasley's.

"Thank you Gin. Your family too. I-I don't know what I would do without you." Luna looked down at her hands.

Ginny pulled her into a hug. "You sound like you're saying goodbye Luna." When Luna didn't respond Ginny continued. "If you think for a second that any one of us are about to let you leave this house then you really are crazy."

Luna had to laugh at that, despite her overwhelming sadness. Luna's sanity had been an ongoing joke between the two of them for years.

"The Ministry would never allow it. I'll need a guardian," Luna said sadly. She didn't want to leave the only place she had ever known along with the only friend she had ever had. It was inevitable though and Luna had to face it sooner or later.

"We'll work it out but you are not- under any circumstances going to leave. You're my friend and if you go I'll be very lonely." Ginny said.

"But-"

Ginny cut her off saying "Even if I have to beg Mom and Dad to become your legal guardians."

Luna was shocked. She flung her arms around Ginny and hugged her like she was Luna's life-line. In a way she was. Ginny was the reason that Luna had gotten through her mother's death. Now Ginny- Luna knew- would be there through the aftermath of her father's death too. She had never let Luna down, in all the years they'd known each other.  
When Luna let Ginny go they sat in comfortable silence.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ginny asked, breaking the silence, "The Ministry people are going to ask you about what happened."

"I was gathering Pimplies by the stream for tea. When I came back inside I saw- I saw Daddy lying on- on the floor and-" Luna was sobbing again.

"I just didn't know what to do. I almost called out to Mommy," Luna got out when she had stopped sobbing. "I ran here and- well you know the rest."

Ginny nodded only to ask "How are you feeling though?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm a sobbing wreck," Luna replied with a short, bitter laugh.

"You'll get through this Luna, I know you will," Ginny said.

"You can't promise me that Gin. No one can," Luna told her.

"I can and I will," Ginny joked, hoping to take away some of the sadness in her friend's eyes.

"Seriously though, I know you want to help but you don't understand. You have your whole family around you. You've never known what it's like to truly lose someone." Luna knew it was harsh but it was the truth. She didn't want anyone to suffer like she was right now. Part of her was envious though. Why did Ginny have a family filled with love and happiness when Luna had hers taken away from her?

"No, I can't. Mom can though, and so can Dad. They lost a lot in the War, including their own parents. You could talk to them maybe." Ginny had obviously put a lot of thought into helping Luna.

"Thanks Ginny, maybe I will," Luna said. She was truly touched by how much her friend cared for her.

"You want to stay here for a while?" Ginny asked.

Luna nodded. She didn't think she was ready to face the pitying looks the others were sure to give her. Ginny handed her a plate of eggs and bacon. It was still warm so Mrs. Weasley had most likely put a Warming Charm on them. Luna ate slowly. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until the wonderful aroma of her favorite dish had hit her. When Luna was done she looked around the room. It looked the same, just like all he times Luna had come over before. So why did Luna feel like another person? That because her world had changed that everything else should have too? When she saw the sleeping bag on the floor Luna felt guilty.

"Sorry I made you sleep on the floor Gin," Luna said.

Ginny looked up from her book only to laugh. "It's fine Luna. You needed to sleep. And besides, the floor was actually pretty comfortable."

"What are you reading?" Luna asked.

"It was from Bill and Charlie's room. It's about Quidditch techniques." Luna smiled remembering when she and Ginny had snuck into her brothers' room and taken anything interesting that they could find after Charlie had left, for Romania. All the books they had taken were now under Ginny's bed.

"Can we fly tonight?" Luna asked. Sometimes when they had sleepovers at the Burrow Ginny would sneak brooms out of the broom shed and the two would fly around for almost the entire night.

"Of course," Ginny replied. "Are you ready now?"

Taking a deep breath Luna nodded. She'd have to face them sooner or later. Judging by the sun it was probably past noon now anyway. Ginny grabbed Luna's hand and the two walked out of Ginny's room and down the stairs to the kitchen. At the table was a Ministry Official, apparently arguing with Ginny's parents.


End file.
